DeSantis signs bill to rename Palm Beach airport after Trump
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday signed legislation renaming Palm Beach International Airport to “Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
The bill , which Republicans in the Florida House and Senate passed last month via votes of 81-30 and 25-11, respectively, gives the state the authority to name “major commercial service airports.” It also renames the airport, located roughly 4 miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, in honor of the president.
The Republican Party of Florida touted the impending name change, writing Monday on the social platform X, “Florida is making it official! Welcome to the new President Donald J. Trump International Airport — right in the heart of Palm Beach!”
“Florida is honored to be home to this landmark tribute to President @realDonaldTrump,” the Florida GOP added, sharing a photo of a sign in front of the airport that reads, “Welcome to the new President Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
The name change for PBI would take effect on July 1 if it is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to the text of the legislation. But the FAA told The Hill on Monday that changing the name of an airport is a local issue, and the FAA “does not approve airport name changes.”
“However, the FAA must complete some administrative tasks to include updating navigational charts and databases,” the administration added.
Rebeca Krogman, the public information officer for Palm Beach County Department of Airports, noted that the legislation does not impact airport’s three-letter code of PBI. But Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) introduced legislation earlier this month to change the code from PBI to “DJT.”
Since the president returned to office, he and his administration have added his name to a slew of buildings and programs, including the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Institute of Peace, the TrumpRx prescription drug platform and “Trump Accounts,” investment accounts that parents can open for their children starting this tax season.
In January, Palm Beach County also officially designated 4 miles of Southern Boulevard running from PBI to Mar-a-Lago as “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” The next month, the Trump Organization — which is run by two of the president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, filed to trademark the use of President Trump’s name on airports.
Updated March 31 at 12:42 p.m. EDT
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